The hottest beach spots in Britain revealed as Super El Niño nears
Forecasters are predicting a brewing super El Niño event that is set to intensify global temperatures over the next year or so. We started with Devon and Cornwall, but we were curious to see which beach in the UK has been historically the hottest since 1961, so we put together the following table of summer averages across the main beaches in the UK to reveal which may well be the place to go for those looking to get a bit of sun during Britain’s Super El Nino summer.
Bournemouth and the south coast come out on top
The national study, compiled using June to August average maximum temperatures assigned to beaches by their nearest climate stations, found that beaches on the Dorset coast came out on top overall.
Beaches including Bournemouth Beach, Boscombe Beach, Sandbanks Beach, Alum Chine Beach and Swanage Beach were all linked to Bournemouth Airport, the warmest station in the dataset, with a summer average maximum of 20.57°c. The station also recorded the highest July figure in the data at 21.41°c, with temperatures remaining strong in August at 21.06°c.
That made the Bournemouth and Poole stretch the warmest coastal cluster in the research, ahead of other big-name beach destinations across Britain.
Close behind were beaches on the Somerset coast, including Weston-super-Mare, Brean Beach, Burnham-on-Sea, Minehead Beach and Kilve Beach, which were all linked to Cannington. That station recorded a summer average maximum of 20.30°c, with temperatures rising from 19.14°c in June to 21.02°c in July.
Beaches on the South Wales coast also performed strongly. Rhossili Bay, Caswell Bay, Whitmore Bay and Rest Bay were all linked to Cardiff, Bute Park, which also posted a summer average maximum of 20.30°c. That puts the Gower and nearby South Wales coastline level with Somerset in the national rankings.
Not far behind were beaches along the Essex and Kent coast, where Shoebury East Beach, Southend-on-Sea, Chalkwell Beach, Westcliff Beach, Leigh-on-Sea Beach, Margate Main Sands, Broadstairs Viking Bay, Joss Bay, Botany Bay and Whitstable Beach were all assigned to Shoeburyness. That station recorded a summer average maximum of 20.26°c, and was one of the few warmer stations in the dataset where August, at 21.11°c, was hotter than July.
July was usually the hottest month, but not everywhere
Across the dataset, temperatures generally rose through June and peaked in July, particularly across the south coast. However, several eastern and northern coastal stations held on to warmth later in the summer, with August edging ahead in places such as Shoeburyness, Shoreham Airport, Holbeach No 2, Scarborough, Wick Airport, Kirkwall Airport and Lerwick.
Devon and Cornwall focus
Within and Devon and Cornwall, the research found that beaches on the Exmouth, Dawlish and lower Exe coast came out on top regionally. Beaches including Exmouth Beach, Dawlish Warren Beach, Sandy Bay Beach and Budleigh Salterton Beach were all linked to Exeter Airport, the warmest station in the dataset, with a summer average maximum of 20.3°c.
Across the data max temperatures started to grow in June, peaked in July but remained high well into August but the station and as a result the beaches with the highest max temperatures across the summer were all located near Exeter; likely benefiting from the calmer and shallower waters of the English Channel.
That made the lower Exe coast the hottest area in the regional research, ahead of other well-known beach destinations across Devon and Cornwall.
The next warmest cluster was the Teignbridge and Torbay coast, where beaches such as Goodrington Sands, Paignton Beach, Meadfoot Beach, Teignmouth Town Beach and Torre Abbey Sands were assigned to the Teignmouth climate station. That station recorded a summer average maximum of 19.5°c, with July reaching 20.3°c.
Close behind was the South Hams coast, including beaches such as Blackpool Sands, Bantham Beach, Slapton Sands, Bigbury-on-Sea and Hope Cove, which were linked to the Slapton station. These came in at a summer average maximum of 19.4°c.
Further east, beaches including Beer Beach, Sidmouth Town Beach, Branscombe Beach and Seaton Beach were assigned to Sidmouth, which posted a summer average maximum of 19.3°c.
What does all this mean for summer holidays?
News that we may be set to experience a hotter summer than normal will be welcome to most booking their summer holidays and the data shows that there are plenty of spots to choose from when it comes to booking a beach holiday in the UK; Kevin Darvill, Sales and Marketing Director at Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parks offered the below comment:
“With forecasts pointing to a particularly warm summer ahead, it’s a great opportunity for holidaymakers to really think about where they stay, not just where they visit. Devon offers an incredible mix of beaches, from the warmer, sheltered spots along the south coast to the dramatic surf and sunset beaches in the north, so choosing the right base can make all the difference to your experience.
At Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parks, we always encourage guests to plan ahead and secure accommodation that puts them within easy reach of the coastline they want to enjoy most. Whether that’s relaxing on sun-soaked sands or making the most of the UK’s best surfing with a luxury hot tub laden lodge to come back to, having the right location and facilities nearby helps turn a good holiday into a great one.
With so many fantastic beaches set to shine this summer, it’s shaping up to be one of the best seasons yet for a Devon staycation.”
ENDS
About Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parks
Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parks is one of the leading operators of holiday parks within Devon and the UK. A family-run business, they are passionate about reinvesting back into their Parks so that the customer gets the best possible holiday at a reasonable price. They offer caravans, lodges and camping/touring pitches so you can find the right accommodation for your stay.
Contact:
For more information on the story please contact Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parks’ PR representative David Foy.